brown



(No Model.)-

J. P. BROWN. ORDER HOLDER.

No. 409,827. Patented Aug. 27, 1889.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN F. BROIVN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO ALBERT R. BAKER,

OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

ORDER-HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 409,827, dated August27, 1889.

Application filed September 2 1, 1888. Serial No. 286,291. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN F. BROWN, a citizen of the United States,residing in Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Order-Holders, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements upon the covers or portfolios nowcommonly used by wholesale merchants to hold original orders for goodswhile the goods are being laid out or gotten together preparatory toshipment or delivery.

The invention consists in the combination, with the cover or portfolio,of the peculiar combined clamp and hinge, hereinafter particularlydescribed.

The accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, andin which similar letters of reference indicate like parts, show atFigure 1 a perspective of my ll'llproved holder. Fig. 2 is alongitudinal section thereof with the parts in the open position; andFig. 3, a section similar to Fig. showing the leaves of the holder asspread but with the clamping-hinge closed.

In said drawings, A A represent the stiff leaves or boards forming themain body of the holder and flexibly hinged at a a to the strips B B.The strips B B are united together by a hinge consisting of sheet-metalleaves O C, one attached to each strip B, and a pintle D. One edge ofeach leaf 0 is cut and formed into eyes adapted to embrace the pintle inthe usual manner of forming sheethinges, as shown at c, and both leavesand pintle are preferably made to extend the whole length of the stripsB.

To the hinge-joint justdescribed I apply a clamping-sprin g, which willnot only serve to press upon and retain the orders or other papers pwhich may be placed in the holder, but will also act to maintain theparts after opening in the open position until they are again closed bythe user. This spring is of sheet metal and is shown at E, and it isattached to and bears upon the outside of the strips B, the attachmentbeing caused by the engagement of the turned-in edges 6 of the springwith the bosses f, stamped up out of the metal of the hinge-leaves O.This engagement permits the spring to be applied by sliding itlongitudinally along the hinge until it has reached the desired point,and when thus applied its own tension and the engagement mentioned willretain it in place. The line .of contact between the spring and thestrips B or leaves C is so located that when the holder is closed saidline of contact is inside the aXis of the hinge, and the spring acts asa clamp to force the strips B closely together; but when the strips areopened, as in Fig. 2, said line of contact passes outside of the axis,and the spring is thereby caused to hold the strips apart, thus enablingthe ready insertion or removal of papers. To thus open the clamp, it isonly necessary to apply a slight lifting power to one of the largeleaves A, While holding down the other one, and to close it a slightpressure in the opposite direction is all that is requisite.

I do not herein claim the constructioi'i shown in patents to Reynolds,No. 98,191; Dom, No. 329,444, or Borgerseu, No. 375,044, or in EnglishPatent No. 2,045 of 1876. None of the constructions shown in thosepatents have the mode of operation of my invention or accomplish thesame results.

I claim 1. As a new manufacture, an order-holder having a hinge-jointuniting the sides thereof, and a sheet-metal clamping-spring E, placedoutside the hinge and having flexibility to allow the leaves of theholder to open and carry its points of attachment outside of the axis ofthe hinge, whereby said spring is rendered double-acting, substantiallyas set forth.

2. The combination, with the sides of an order-holder, of a hingeuniting said sides and havingbosses f stamped thereon, and aclamping-spring E, applied to said hinge and having inturned edgesengaging with said bosses, substantially as specified.

3. The combination, with the order-holder, the sides whereof are hingedtogether by a hinge C D, of a spring-clamp attached to the sides, asshown, and adapted to yield sufliciently to carry its points ofattachment be yond the axis of the hinge, substantially as set forth.

JOHN F. BROIVN.

Witnesses:

H. M. ll/IUNDAY,

Epw. S. EVARTS.

